How Long After Shaving Can You Wax?

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One of the most popular ways to get rid of unwanted hair is to wax it. There are many benefits to waxing your body hair. But you’ve been used to shaving it off, you might be wondering how long after shaving can you wax? How long do you have to wait?

It’s hard to say exactly, but you may have to wait a couple of weeks to wax after your last shave. But rather than focusing on time, it’s better to pay attention to hair length. You want 1/4 to 1/2″ of hair to wax.

In this article, we’ll go over the importance of proper hair length for waxing. We’ll also tell you at what point you can be comfortable waxing your hair.


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What Happens When The Hair Is Too Short to Wax?

Home Waxing Kit

Most hair technicians will help you assess whether your hair is long enough for waxing. If it isn’t, then they will recommend rescheduling your appointment.

Home waxing kits have some advantages.

There’s no embarrassment if you want to tackle your nether regions with a Brazilian wax, and a great deal of convenience. But if you are waxing at home with a kit like the Chase Waxing Kit , it is important to make sure that the hair is long enough for the waxing procedure. 

The minimum length you where the wax will adhere to the hair is 1/4″. The hair needs to stick properly to the wax or else your waxing session won’t be successful. You won’t be pulling any hair out, or it will be extremely uneven.

Hair will get left behind if it isn’t long enough for the waxing procedure. Worse is if it breaks. This can cause irritation or even ingrown hairs. 

The minimum length you where the wax will adhere to the hair is 1/4″. The hair needs to stick properly to the wax or else your waxing session won’t be successful. You won’t be pulling any hair out, or it will be extremely uneven.

On the flip side, can your hair grow too long for waxing?


What Happens When Hair is Too Short To Wax?

Yes, If your hair is longer than ½ inches, it could be too long to wax. The solution to this is easy, you just need to cut it with some clean scissors.

If you don’t trim the hair, there is also a risk of it breaking because only the ends of the hair are attached to the wax. It may not be pulled out from the roots properly because of it.


How Long After Shaving Can You Wax?

When you shave your hair, it will take time for the hair to grow into the ideal length for waxing. This may depend on one person to another. Most would recommend waiting for at least 10 days.

For some, this is enough to grow their hair. But others may take longer for up to 2 weeks or more, depending on how fast the hair grows. 

Whether you’re new to waxing and are transitioning from your shaving, or you’ve cheated on your waxing routine and decided to go for a shave, there must be a waiting period before you can wax after shaving. 

Shaving will only cut the hair at the surface of the skin. That means the root is still there but the exposed parts are cut off. 

With waxing, the root and follicle are also completely removed. However, this cannot be done if the wax doesn’t grip any exposed parts of the hair. That is why you must wait for your hair to grow back before waxing it.

If you find that your hair is too long, you can trim it but don’t shave it. 

Waxing needs at least about ¼ inch of your hair so that it can completely pull out the hair from the roots.


Can You Grasp the Hair?

Can you remember how many days ago you shaved? Most of us can’t.

You can estimate whether you’re ready to wax by trying to grasp and pull the hair you’re targeting.

If you can’t grasp the hair without pinching yourself, then it is still too short. When doing this test, make sure to do it carefully because you might accidentally really pull them out or break the exposed hair. 

Additionally, if you are trying to wax off the hair that is thicker, like those for the underarms, then you might want to consider growing your hair longer than ¼ inch. This is because the hair is thicker and the wax needs more exposed area to adhere itself so it can successfully pull it out.

If not, there is a possibility that the hair won’t be pulled out from the roots but will only be broken. The good news is that with repeated waxing, the hair may grow back thinner.

How Long Does The Hair Have to Be For a Brazilian Wax?

Essentially the same length as in any other area. The hair should be between 1/4″ and 1/2″ long in order for the bikini wax to get a good grip and pull the hairs out completely.

If you’ve shaved recently, it may take a couple of weeks to get back to that length.


Timing Your Waxing Sessions

The schedule you create for regular waxing sessions will greatly depend on how fast your hair grows. Hair growth varies from one person to another so there is no exact answer.

However, on average, it takes about 4 weeks to grow ¼ inch of hair from the time it has been pulled out. 

Consistent waxing sessions are important. This helps make the hair grow thinner and slower.

If you’ve missed your waxing appointment, you might be tempted to use the razor and shave. However, that is counterproductive to your results. It is best to skip the razor and just schedule another appointment.

You are better off with long hair rather than bumpy skin with ingrown hair. Ugly and painful. No thanks!

An additional tip would be to try to avoid waxing when your not on your period. Try to schedule at least a week before or after. This is because the skin might be more sensitive when you have your period.

Also, if you find waxing too painful, you can take over-the-counter pain medications to help you lessen the pain. Eventually, you’ll be used to it and won’t need the painkillers anymore. 


Final Thoughts

Waxing is a great way to remove unwanted hair from the roots. However, for your waxing sessions to be successful, the wax needs enough hair length to grip the hair and pull it out. If you’ve just shaved, you shouldn’t wax your hair. 

Wait until your hair grows to at least 1/4″. If you don’t, you’ll risk breaking the hair and causing an infection or ingrown hairs.

The rate of hair growth varies from one person to another so the time you wait will depend on how fast your hair grows. Usually, you can check and see if your hair is long enough after about 10 days to a couple of weeks. 

Written by Kayla Young

Kayla is the founder of LuxeLuminous. She has worked professionally in the tanning industry for years. She has been interested in esthetics since childhood, and has tried every hair, skin, and makeup product ever produced (more or less).